Automatic train-control system.



M. L. WINN. AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEM.

I APPLICATION FILED JUNE 80, 1913. 1 .1 1 3,273.

Patented Oct. 13, 1914.

5 @J Q 3 1 @I L Q ON \N b\ rill y l u lllllllull 1 1W G A [Q 1X M. v kw .Q 1% an R A? $9 THE Amman PF'I'FRS C M. L. WINN.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEM.

APPLIUATION IILBD JUNE 30, 1913.

OOH V Q m? Q %m r 1 m V. m 5. M {Z M 1|I|||v fl Z 9 7 4 W m. H 7 W, E y w MT mnwnunhhunh 1 m J v 2 1 1 W D @i mm/r012 Mizf. W12 BY WITNESSES- 6 M122; Mm

ATTORNEYS 7HE NORRIS PETERS co., PHOTO-LII'HO. WASHINGTON. u r;

M. L. WINN. AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEM.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 30, 1913.

Patented Oct. 13, 1914.

3 SHEETS-BEEET 3.

INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEYS THE NORRIS PETERS C0 PHOTCMLITHf WASHINGTON. 0. C.

UNITED S TES PATENT. ori ce.

MARTIN L. WINVN, or nUssELLvILLE, ARKANSAS.

. AUTOMATIC TRAIN-CONTROL SYSTEM.

To all whom it may concern:

' Beit known that I, MARTIN L. WVINN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Russellville, in the county of Pope and State of Arkansas, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Train-Control Systems, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to automat c train control systems-that is, to systems used for stopping or ,otherwise affecting moving trains by aid of an apparatus which is 1tself controllable by movements of trains.

My invention admits of general use, but is of special application for enabling a train,

passing along a track, to actuate movable arms spaced at intervals along the track in such manner as to raise and lower these arms oneat'a time.

iVhile the raising and lowering of the arms maybe caused to affect trains in different ways, the particular .way here illustrated is to stop the train to be affected. In other words, I here show and describe my system as employed by one train for the purpose of stopping another train traveling in the opposite direction. It will be understood, however, that in doing this I donot limit the useto which the invention may be applied, i

Reference is made to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which like letters indicate like parts.

portion of the railway track equippedwith my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3. is a detail showing in horizontal section, one of the plungers controllable by movements of a train for actuating the trip mechanism. Fig. 4c is a fragmentary side elevation showing a toothed wheel carried by a train, for controlling. the trip mechanism. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 4, showing two of the toothed wheels for controlling the trip mechanism. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 7 looking in the direction of the arrow, and showing details of the toothed wheel and parts associated therewith. Fig. 7 is a section on the line 77 of Fig. 6, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig, 8 is a section on the line .88 ofFig. 6, looking in the direction of the arrow." Fig. 9 is a parts ;immediately associated Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan showing a Specification of Letters Patent. Pat nt d G t 13 1914 Application filed June 36', 1913. i

Serial No. 773,714.

fragmentary partly perspective and partly in section showingflonelof the plun gers and parts associated therewith forming a portion of the trip mechanism. Fig. 10 is a. section on'theline1010-of Fig.9. Fig. 11 is a section on the line 11-l1 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is a section on the line 12-12 of F 13, looking in the direction ofthe arrow, and shows the movable trip arm and therewith. Fig. 18 is an elevation partly in section of thetrip arm and parts connected therewith. Fig. laiis a section on the line 1414L of. Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow.

Cross ties are shown at 15, and resting upon themjare track rails 16. A locomotive is shown. at 17.

p I Mountedupon the cross 518$. area number of gu ding tubes 18 held in position byzaid of fastenings 19. Each guiding tube 18 is slightly inclined relativelytothe track. rails, and so positioned asto overlap other guiding tubes, as maybe understood. from Fig. l.

Adjacent to one end of each guiding tube 18 is a block 20 secured upon the adjacent portion of one of the cross ties 15. Each guiding tube 18 is provided adjacent the block 20 with a curved portion 21 of a diameter greater than that of the general body portion of the guiding tube, as may be understoodfrom'Fig; 9. Located within this enlarged portion of the guiding tube are bearings22, held in position by aid of screws 23, and each having the form of an annular member provided with a square opening. A plunger- 24. having a square form in crosssection extends through the two bearings 22, as may be understood from Fig.9.

Carried by the outer. end of the plunger 24 is a Y-shaped arm 25, this arm carrying a bufier plate 26,'which is supported upon. bolts 27, the latter being rigid to the buffer plate and extending loosely through the ad jacent portion of the arm 25. Encircling the bolts 27 are springs 28, cushioningthebuffer plate 26 relatively to the arm 25. The plunger 24 carries a piston 29 which fits neatly within the enlarged portion 21 ofthe guiding tube. Connected with the piston 29 is a flexible connection 30 which maybe a cord or a cable. This flexible connection engages a number of anti-friction rollers 31 which extend through the'enlarged portion 21 of the guiding tube and at their bottom are provided with axle pins 32. The upper ends of the rollers 31 extend through holes in the wall of the enlarged portion of the guiding tube. This arrangement is desirable in order to enable the rollers to be placed in position and readily removed. A closure strip 33 covers the adjacent upper ends of the rollers 31, as may be understood from Fig. 9, this strip being secured in position by aid of fastenings 33 Each guiding tube 18 is further provided with a portion 33 of enlarged diameter, this portion being straight, as indicated in Fig.3, and being provided with bearings 34, substantially like the bearings 22 above described. A plunger 35 extends through the bearings 34 and carries a fastening 36. To this fastening is secured a flexible connection. such as a cord or cable. The plunger 35 carries a Y-shaped arm 37 extending upwardly from it, this arm carrying a buffer plate 38 which is cushioned by springs 39, the latter encircling bolts 40 which are rigid relatively to the buffer plate 38, and extend loosely through the adjacent portion of the v arm 37.

Spaced at intervals along the track are a number of bases 41, each provided with ears 42 extending upwardly from it and located parallel with each other. Connected with these ears and located between the same are springs 43 each of a general U-form and provided with bent portions 44. An arm 45 is located between the springs43 and is provided with notches 46 into which the bent portions 44 of the springs may move, when the arm occupies a predetermined position as indicated in Figs. 12, 13 and 14. The arm 45 is further provided with a thin web portion 47 into which the notches 46 extend. The arm 46 is provided with an extending portion 48 carrying a guard'49, this guard extending over the ears 42.

The arm 45 is provided with a hub-50 and extending through this hub is a shaft 51 held in position by aid of cotter pins 52. The parts are so arranged that the arm 45 may be swung downwardly upon the shaft 51 as a center so as to occupy two normal positions indicated respectively by full and dotted lines in Fig. 12.

The locomotive 17 or other piece of rolling stock, carries frames 53, 54, respectively operating in connection with the arms 25 and 37 of each of the guiding tubes 18. The frames 53, 54, are exactly alike, except as to position, and may, therefore, be understood from a description of the frame 54 alone. This frame has a general U-form and is provided with holes 54*, through which extend bolts 54 by aid whereof the frame is held in position. Mounted within the frame are two springs 55, each having a general U- form. Located between the springs 55 is a toothed wheel 56, the latter being provided with a hub 57, and with a number of notches 58, the springs 55 being provided with bent portions 58 for extending into the notches 58, thus holding the wheel 56 in any one of a number of definite angular positions, as will be understood from Figs. 6 and 8. A shaft 59 extends through the frame 54 and a hub 57 carrying the toothed wheel 56 is mounted upon this shaft. Washers 59 encircle the shaft 59 and are held in position by cotter pins 60.

The operation of my device is as follows: The parts being arranged and assembled, as above described, I will suppose that the locomotive 17 is moving to the right according to Figs. 1 and 2. As the frame 54 passes each Y-shaped arm 25 the toothed wheel 56 shown in Figs. 2 and 4 is brought into engagement with the buffer plate 26 so that the plunger 24 is drawn a little to the right according to Figs. 4 and 9. Only one tooth of the toothed wheel 56 engages the buffer plate 26, however, and as the pressure of this tooth against the buffer plate increases, the tension ofthe springs 28 increases likewise, so that the toothed wheel 56 is turned to an extent representing the distance from each tooth to the next successive tooth. As the wheel arrives in its new position, it is held in such position by pressure of the springs 55 as may be understood from Fig. 8. As the plunger 24 is thus pulled outwardly, the flexible connections 30 are pulled upon and this causes the arm 45 to rock into such position that the extending portion 48 of the arm is raised into a vertical position, as indicated in Figs. 12 and 13. The arm thus affected is some distance-say a quarter of a milein front of the locomotive. The arm being thus set, remains in its new position. until the train has passed it. After the train has passed it, however, the toothed wheel 56 carried by the frame 53 (see Fig.

5) comes into engagement with the buffer plate 38 carried by the arm 37 so that the arm 37 is moved to the right according to Fig. 3. This turns the wheel 56 last mentioned, by a distance representing the consecutive distance between its teeth, and in doing this the movement of the plunger 35 by pulling upon the flexible connection 30,

restores the arm 45 into the position which it occupies before the arrival of the train, that is, the extending portion 48 now being lowered into the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 12. It will thus be seen that each train causes the extending portion 48 of each trip arm to be raised vertically and held in its vertical position and then lowered into a substantially horizontal position. If now while the trip arm is held in vertical position another train approaching from the opposite direction should undertake to pass the trip arm' in question, such train is brought to a stop by aid of train stopping mechanism, of any improved kind suitable for the purpose carried by the second train, the train stopping mechanism being. provided with a' member to be brought .into

engagementwith the extending portion 48 of the trip arm.

I do not limit myself to any particular type 01- train stopping mechanism to be employed in connection with my improved tripping device, nor to any particular lengths for the parts of the latter. It may be seen, however, that the length of the tubes 18 is somewhat less than the distance betweeneach plunger 24 and its arm 45.

It will be understood of course that the mechanism shown at the bottom of Fig. 1 may be duplicated upon opposite sides of the track and that while the mechanism shown in Figs. 4 and 5 are in this instance placed upon the locomotive, the apparatus may, if desired, be placed upon other parts of a train or other piece of rolling stock. It will also be understood that while the movement of the rocking trip arm may be employed for purposes of stopping a train, such movement may also be utilized as a signal or for any analogous purpose.

I do not limit myself to the precise construction shown, as variations may be made without departing from the spirit of my in vention, the scope of which is commensurate with my claims.

I claim 1. An automatic train control system comprising a plurality of guiding tubes located along a track in inclined relation to the said track and in overlapping relation with respect to one another, each of said tubes being provided at one end with a bent portion, a flexible connection extending through the tube within and around its bent portion, frames connected to the ends of the said flexible connection and movable in the same direction to move the said flexible connec tion in relatively opposite directions, and a rocking arm connected to the flexible connection intermediate the ends of the latter and movable from a horizontal to a vertical position and vice versa upon relatively opof a base and spaced uprights, a pin mount-.

ed through the uprights and through the tripping arm and forming the pivot of the latter, spring members carried by the said uprights and engaging the said tripping arm to'frictionally hold the latter in both of its positions, whereby to prevent accidental displacement thereof, and laterally projecting shields carried by the said trip-y ping arm to. cover and protect the said springs and supporting uprights, substantially' as described.

3. In a train control of the character del scribed, the combination of a protecting 70 tube having bearings therein provided with squared apertures, a plunger consisting of;

a squared bar working through the said bearings, a Y-shaped arm secured to and extending upwardly from the outer end of the plunger, and a bumper. plate having a" flexible elastic connection with the upper portion of the said Y-shaped arm, substantially as described.

4. An automatic train control system comprising a plurality of guiding tubes located along a track, each guiding tube overlapping others and provided with a bent por-- tion at one end, a plunger movably mountt ed within said bent portion, a flexible connection secured at one end to said plunger and extendingthrough said guidingtube, a

rocking arm secured to said flexible connect on intermediate its ends and adapted to be swung thereby from a horizontal to a vertical position, and a plunger movable in, the same direction as the first plunger and to which the opposite end of saidflexible connection issecured whereby to swing the rocking arm back to a horizontal position. MARTIN L; WINN. WVitnesses:

WVALToN HARRISON, 801.0 C; KEMON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

7 Washington, D. C. 

